Two nights ago, around 9:30pm, another incident occurred downtown when the police were arresting a man to be questioned for criminal activities. Three men emerged from behind them and hurled a grenade which injured one officer and a passer-by. Panic ensued and the suspect and three attackers disappeared into a narrow alley. I had heard this story Friday morning but waited until I saw something in the paper today, Saturday, to confirm that it happened. The Mombasa County Commissioner has "assured Coast residents and visitors that Mombasa is safe and that 'isolated cases' of insecurity should not scare them". I am smiling. We do not go out at night and tomorrow our Maryknoll community has rescheduled our monthly meeting to be held at my house in the afternoon. I have just returned from Saturday evening Mass and the streets are deserted. Very unusual.
On a good note, I did go to my clinic near the Tanzanian border yesterday and it went well. This is the clinic that had fallen apart at the beginning of the year and I was so disappointed. However things have turned around and it is busy once again. The last two patients were very sick and I was sorry that they hadn't come earlier as we had to refer them elsewhere. There was no difficulty making the trip and again the traffic was unusually light so it didn't take us hours to get across the ferry. We were home before dark. Peace of the twinkling stars to you!
Saturday, 24 May 2014
Wednesday, 21 May 2014
21 May 2014
Greetings to all. I know that there are many people praying for us. It is a great comfort. I have just returned from a clinic in Voi, three hours away, that went very well. When I arrived home I found that the lock on the outer gate of the door had been opened but the inner door was still locked and no one entered our flat. It is very obvious when my car is gone for two days that I am not around. So my friend came over this evening to chat. It's nice to have someone else around when there is trouble. Yesterday we got news of student demonstrations in Nairobi against the increase in school fees. The gathering turned chaotic and police used tear gas causing disruption in the town center.
Today the newspaper reports that hotels on the coast are closing and 4000 people have been laid off of work. I have asked around about security in Mombasa and it is still tense. The concern is that someone is planning a major attack that will involve shooting people indiscriminately in areas of heavy traffic...either Nairobi or Mombasa...similar to the attack on the Westgate shopping mall last September in Nairobi.
I will be going to a clinic in Mrima by the Tanzanian border on Friday and the rains have cooled everything off so that I'm a bit chilly!!! We continue to pray for one another. Peace of the gentle rains to you, especially those who are starting to sweat in the northern hemisphere!
Today the newspaper reports that hotels on the coast are closing and 4000 people have been laid off of work. I have asked around about security in Mombasa and it is still tense. The concern is that someone is planning a major attack that will involve shooting people indiscriminately in areas of heavy traffic...either Nairobi or Mombasa...similar to the attack on the Westgate shopping mall last September in Nairobi.
I will be going to a clinic in Mrima by the Tanzanian border on Friday and the rains have cooled everything off so that I'm a bit chilly!!! We continue to pray for one another. Peace of the gentle rains to you, especially those who are starting to sweat in the northern hemisphere!
Sunday, 18 May 2014
18 May 2014
Due to the threat of terrorism Britain evacuated 500 nationals from their holidays here south of Mombasa last week. The US Embassy pulled all their people from Mombasa and closed this weekend. Since it seemed prudent to avoid trouble we cancelled our Maryknoll meeting here in my house today and all stayed home. It was cold and rainy...if you can believe it after all the sweating we've been doing...but otherwise the day was calm and quiet. Thanks be to God.
Friday, 16 May 2014
16 May 2014
Greetings to all,
I don't usually write at this time of the month but there have been several bombings in Kenya and this is the easiest way to communicate to many.
I am in Mombasa and all is fine here at the moment. I had gone to Nairobi by bus on 3rd May and that night when I was beginning my retreat I heard of bombing in Mombasa. This morning I was able to talk with one of the Brothers who works with youth in the Archdiocese. On that evening he had just finished a meeting with the young people in Mwembe Tayari, a busy, bustling center for public transport downtown. We have all been there many times; Judy passes through there every day on her way to and from work. His right ear drum was ruptured and he fell causing abrasions to his right side but he was able to run away and call for someone to come get him. He saw four dead bodies, two men and two women...one of whom was pregnant. At the same time there were explosions on the beach near the Reef Hotel, the place where members of Friends Across Borders trips have always stayed while visiting Mombasa.
Since then there have been two more incidents of explosions in Nairobi, one on a major highway and this afternoon in a busy market. The British have evacuated tourists and stopped others from coming to Kenya.
I am glad that I had a good retreat and feel much more rested after having a break. We will need to be more careful in Mombasa about where we go and what we do. We are grateful for your prayers and pray especially for the families of all the innocent people who have been injured or killed in these attacks.
Blessings of the waning moon to you! susan
I don't usually write at this time of the month but there have been several bombings in Kenya and this is the easiest way to communicate to many.
I am in Mombasa and all is fine here at the moment. I had gone to Nairobi by bus on 3rd May and that night when I was beginning my retreat I heard of bombing in Mombasa. This morning I was able to talk with one of the Brothers who works with youth in the Archdiocese. On that evening he had just finished a meeting with the young people in Mwembe Tayari, a busy, bustling center for public transport downtown. We have all been there many times; Judy passes through there every day on her way to and from work. His right ear drum was ruptured and he fell causing abrasions to his right side but he was able to run away and call for someone to come get him. He saw four dead bodies, two men and two women...one of whom was pregnant. At the same time there were explosions on the beach near the Reef Hotel, the place where members of Friends Across Borders trips have always stayed while visiting Mombasa.
Since then there have been two more incidents of explosions in Nairobi, one on a major highway and this afternoon in a busy market. The British have evacuated tourists and stopped others from coming to Kenya.
I am glad that I had a good retreat and feel much more rested after having a break. We will need to be more careful in Mombasa about where we go and what we do. We are grateful for your prayers and pray especially for the families of all the innocent people who have been injured or killed in these attacks.
Blessings of the waning moon to you! susan
Thursday, 1 May 2014
01 May 2014
Box 84425-80100
Mombasa, Kenya
May 2014
Dear Family and Friends,
Recently, we visited an old Arab city nearby where we found this huge Baobab tree. It is over 500 years old!!! Baobabs are 90% water and they can live for 10 years without rain! I look kind of insignificant standing in front of it. Sometimes I feel insignificant in light of all the problems and troubles there are in the world. The last couple of weeks have brought several violent incidents to Kenya and three out of four were here in Mombasa. People keep forgetting that we are one family and we only hurt ourselves when we hurt one another.
Then last Wednesday I saw the little boy that I mentioned in my December newsletter. When I called the mother she didn't come into the office. She put the little fellow on the doorstep and he walked in himself!!! I first saw him in April last year. He was one year old and couldn't sit up. His muscles were all very floppy. Now, at two years, he is standing by himself and flapping his arms like the little angel that he is. It was very hard to get this picture because he was not at all interested in posing for the camera. A small dose of thyroid medicine has given him the strength to grow more normally and behave very mischievously. For me Easter has come early because he has more energy and his life is renewed.
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| HAPPY EASTER!!! |
So when we feel insignificant let us remember that we are part of a much greater whole. And when we feel like there isn't much we can do, let us do what we can and then wait and see what God will do with us. You are a great part of what we do and we are very grateful.
Blessings,
Susan Nagele
We are grateful for your prayers and financial support. If you would like to know more about Maryknoll Lay Missioners log onto our website: www.mklm.org or call toll free 1-800-867-2980.
Sorry I haven't quite got this blog format down having done my newsletter on another document. My blog expert, Mary, is coming for a visit in June. We are all super excited and maybe she can get me straightened out!!!
PEACE OF GENTLE ST. JOSEPH THE WORKER TO YOU!!!
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